Engine
4.3L 8-cyl
How to read this file. Complaint records are unverified owner submissions to the federal safety agency. Counts are raw, not adjusted for sales volume or vehicle age. Recall campaigns apply to the model; only a VIN check shows whether this car is affected or repaired. Parts shown are named by an editorial note or listed as a search directory; none is a diagnosis. Full methodology.
Fault profile
Complaint-component records on this vehicle, grouped by family. A complaint naming two systems counts once in each.
Complaints are owner-reported and not verified by the agency.
When it fails
The timing of this vehicle's reported failures, from the complaint file itself. A cluster tells you what to expect and when; it is shaped by reporting behavior as well as by the vehicle.
Vehicle age when the failure occurred
Years between the model year and the owner's reported failure date. Based on 126 of 146 complaints with a usable failure date.
Known issues
The component families with the most complaint records against this vehicle. Counts, crash and fire figures belong to the whole family, not to any single named issue. Parts listed are related system parts, not a diagnosis.
Electrical system
35 complaint records7 fire reports
"HORN DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY, AND IT'S VERY HARD TO USE THE HORN. ALSO, THERE IS A LEAKAGE WITHIN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *AK..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse electrical system parts in the directory →
Latches & locks
27 complaint records
Owners filed 27 complaint records naming this system.
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse latches & locks parts in the directory →
Brakes
21 complaint records1 crash report
"ABS: BRAKES FAILED WHILE DRIVING OVER WASHBOARD SURFACE; VEHICLE KEPT BOUNCING OVER HUMPS; NO WARNING; SPEED 20 MPH. TT..."- one owner's federal complaint about this system; it may not describe the issue named above
Parts
No specific part is named for this issue. Browse brakes parts in the directory →
Federal defect investigations
Formal investigations opened by the federal safety agency into this vehicle. An investigation is the step between a complaint pattern and a recall; not every one results in one.
| Investigation | Status | Component | Subject |
|---|---|---|---|
| EA99003 opened Jan 1999 | closed Aug 2000 | Visibility | COOLANT FIRES There is no summary currently available |
| PE98049 opened Sep 1998 | closed Jan 1999 | Visibility | COOLANT FIRES There is no summary currently available |
| EA96022 opened Sep 1996 | closed Apr 1997 | Steering | STEERING WHEEL BREAKAGE There is no summary currently available |
| PE96037 opened May 1996 | closed Sep 1996 | Steering | STERRING WHEEL BREAKAGE There is no summary currently available |
Recall campaigns
Safety-recall remedies are normally provided at no charge. Under US federal law the mandatory free remedy applies when the vehicle was no more than 15 years old at the time the defect was determined; manufacturers often cover older vehicles voluntarily. Canadian rules differ. Confirm eligibility with the manufacturer using the VIN. Each campaign number links to the federal record.
| Campaign | Component | Summary | Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 96V020000 | Suspension | THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM CAN CRACK AT THE REAR STABILIZER BAR ATTACHMENT. | Normally free |
| 96V019000 | Suspension | DEFECTIVE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINT ATTACHMENT NUTS WERE NOT PROPERLY TORQUED AND CAN LOOSEN. | Normally free |
| 95V082000 | Vehicle Speed Control | THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO FMVSS NO. 124, "ACCELERATOR CONTROL SYSTEMS." AT LOW TEMPERATURES, EXCESSIVE FRICTION CAN OCCUR IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL ASSEMBLY. | Normally free |
| 94V210000 | Fuel System, Gasoline | THE FUEL TANK ATTACHMENT STRAP FASTENERS WERE NOT PROPERLY TIGHTENED. THE FASTENERS CAN COMPLETELY DETACH, EVENTUALLY ALLOWING THE FUEL TANK TO SAG AND THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK TO STRIKE THE ROADWAY. | Normally free |
| 94V076000 | Wheels | PAINT ON THE WHEEL MOUNTING SURFACES CAN ACT AS A SHIM BETWEEN THE WHEEL AND THE ROTOR/DRUM. AS THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN, THE WHEEL IMBEDS INTO THE PAINT, LOOSENING THE LUG NUT AND CAUSING A LOSS OF CLAMP LOAD. | Normally free |
| 94V049000 | Engine And Engine Cooling | THE ENGINE OIL COOLER INLET HOSE MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED TOO CLOSE TO THE STEERING GEAR CAUSING CHAFING. | Normally free |
Transport Canada recalls
Recalls issued under Canadian law for this model year, from Transport Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database. Matched by model name, so a Canadian-market variant may appear here that was sold under another name in the US. Units are Canadian vehicles affected.
| Recall | System | Units (CA) | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996026 1996-02-12 | Suspension | 8,627 | NOTE: POLICE SEDANS AND TAXI CABS. THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM MAY CRACK AT THE REAR STABILIZER BAR ATTACHMENT AND EVENTUALLY COULD CAUSE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM TO FRACTURE COMPLETELY. |
| 1995074 1995-04-24 | Engine | 2,978 | Certain vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 124 - Accelerator Control Systems. At low temperatures there may be excessive movement friction in the accelerator pedal assembly. |
| 1994170 1994-11-03 | Fuel System | 3,971 | THE FUEL TANK ATTACHMENT STRAP FASTENERS ARE BELOW THE SPECIFIED TORQUE. THESE LOOSE FASTENERS COULD, IN TIME, BECOME COMPLETELY DETACHED. |
| 1994064 1994-03-25 | Engine | 204 | On certain vehicles, the engine oil cooler inlet hose may contact the steering gear and wear through. This could allow engine oil to leak onto hot engine components and cause an engine compartment fire. |
Service bulletins and warranty extensions
Manufacturer communications to dealers on file with the federal agency: repair instructions, service campaigns, and warranty extensions. A warranty extension means the manufacturer may pay for a repair the recall table does not cover.
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIC4696E Nov 2019 | Equipment | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. | |
| PIC4696D Sep 2019 | Equipment | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco TheftLock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. | |
| PIC4696C May 2018 | Equipment | This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how to unlock radios that are Delco Theft Lock. Technician will use the radio to get the scrambled code. | |
| 130089009 Sep 2013 | Engine And Engine Cooling | Expanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules | |
| 020730024A Aug 2005 | Power Train | DIAGNOSIS OF CRACKED OR BROKEN TRANSMISSION CASE. *TT 2006 AND PRIOR CARS AND LIGHT DUTY TRUCKS. *TT |
Show 11 more bulletins
| Bulletin | Type | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 876527 Dec 1998 | Engine And Engine Cooling | SOME VEHICLES EXPERIENCE ENGINE MISS/ POOR DRIVEABILITY SYMPTOMS. *YC | |
| 9709013202B Sep 1997 | Steering | EXPERIENCING INTERMITTENT STEERING COLUMN SNAP OR CLICK NOISE WHEN TURNING. *YC | |
| 9709016114B Sep 1997 | Engine And Engine Cooling | EXPERIENCING ENGINE NOISE. *YC | |
| 776513 Apr 1997 | Engine And Engine Cooling | WATER IN AIR PUMP AND/OR DTC P0410, P0412, P1415, P1416, P0100, P0101, P0102 AND DTC 48 (INSTALL AIR PUMP SERVICE KIT). *TW | |
| 676114A Mar 1997 | Engine And Engine Cooling | ENGINE NOISE (INSTALL VALVE STEM OIL SEAL). *TW | |
| 576516A Dec 1996 | Engine And Engine Cooling | MILD SHUTTER OR SAIL-ON BETWEEN 40 TO 60 MPH, STALL IN REVERSE. *TW | |
| 438206A Jun 1995 | Visibility | UNKNOWN | |
| 533205 Jun 1995 | Electrical System | HORN MAY HONK WITHOUT DRIVER ACTIVATION (REPLACING STEERING WHEEL AND SIR MODULE ASSEMBLY). *SD | |
| 533403 May 1995 | Structure | REAR WHEEL/TIRE POSITION IN WHEEL WELL OPENING. *TW | |
| 438206 Dec 1994 | Visibility | WIPER CHATTER DURING COLD WEATHER. *TW | |
| 476511A Nov 1994 | Electrical System | NEW CALIIBRATION TO CORRECT SLUGGISH PERFORMANCE/SPEEDOMETER INACCURACY. *TW |
Before you buy this vehicle
A test-drive checklist generated from this vehicle's own complaint and recall record.
- Sit in it with the engine off and test everything that has a switch.Windows, locks, lights, the cluster, the radio. Electrical faults are this vehicle's story and the hardest to see on a drive: an intermittent no-start waits for the second week of ownership. Ask for the battery's age and whether any control module has been replaced.
- Close every door, hood, and tailgate gently, once.A door that needs a slam or springs back is the latch complaint on this vehicle. It is the kind of fault a seller has learned to hide by slamming.
- Brake hard once from speed on an empty road.A pull to one side, a pulsing pedal, a pedal that sinks at a stop, or an ABS light that stays lit are the brake complaints on this vehicle presenting themselves.
- Run the VIN against open recalls before you negotiate.This vehicle has 6 recall campaigns on file. An open recall needs VIN-specific confirmation. Many are quick, no-charge fixes and worth negotiating over; an unresolved do-not-drive advisory, or a remedy the manufacturer has not yet made available, should stop the purchase until it is resolved.
- Ask for the service history in writing, then read it against this page.The complaint families above are where owners of this vehicle report trouble. Repairs in exactly those systems are evidence the car had the problem; no such repairs could mean it never developed it, or that it was never fixed. The test-drive items above are how you tell those apart.
Parts search directory
The generic parts list for this vehicle has its own page: a search launcher for every system, filtered by fuel type and era but not by engine, trim, or brake type. It is not a diagnosis and not a fitment guarantee.
Open the parts directory for this Chevrolet Caprice →